Albebt xing-sbttry



Y A. KlNGSBUR-Y` BEARING.

AFPLiCATlOH FILED JAN, 30, i919.

Patented Aug. 15, 1922.

II @M1/venivaunirse *Param oFF! ALBERT KINGSBU'RYf 0F PTTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

To @ZZ whom it may conce/m.'

lle it known that l, ALBERT li'NGsnnnY',

vented certain new and useful Improve-y ments in Bearings,vofiivhich the following' is a specification, reference being,` had to the accompanyingA drawings, lforming apart thereof. f y

My invention relatesto bearings and'ha's special referenceto tlirist bearings which comprise aplurality of 'annularly arranged bearing` segments or shoes. fl/Vhile applicable to other bearings, the invention has particular utility When embodied Iin bearings which comprise bearing rsegments or shoes thatfare adapted to vHex or tilt yboth eirciunferentially andl radially, so as yto automatically Wedge vvoil'betWeen the bearing` surfaces and equitably distribute the pressure over each of the bearing` segments in accordance with the `principles of the .lj'ingsbury bearings." t'

One object of my inventionis to provide a bearing; of the aforesaid character which comprises an improved mobile fluid 'support for the bearing segments.` I

Another object of myl invention istoproi ing segments may be adjusted 'to compen-l sate for varying conditions ofoperation, and may if desired besubstantially maintained at any "required predetermined pres# sure. n p y. A. further object of' my,` invention is to provide a bearing comprising aplnrality of independent bearing segments or shoes with fluid-oontaining'means on which said segments lor shoes arel individually mounted for relative tilting movement.

Another vobject of my invention 'top'rovide improved individual' yielding supports Application. filed January 30, 1919.r Serial No. 273,936. l

, BEARrNG.

Specification of Letters Patent. j Patgjed Augi15i1922,

preferably to Vequitably distribute the pressure of sai fluidi.

Another 'object of 'my'invention is to provide a mobile-fluid support in. which the pressure 'of the fluidv is automatically maintained at a predetermined amount by the normal operation of thefbearing.

Other' objects relate to the provision1 of a mobile-fluid support which is not subject to leakage, Which is strong and dura ble, which is' simple `in construction and which performs its function efficiently.

ln my copending application S.' $180,569, iiled Feb. 26,1916', I have shown and described a flexible ring` equalizer, on which plurality l0f bearing ysegments are suprported .in such manner that the thrust pressures are equitably distributed among them. ln the present application I have shown another form of invention', in Which a mofk bile fluid 'support-or one or `more elastic metal members 'cooperating with'the` fluid support-takes the place of the flexible equaliaing ring ofthe aforesaid earlier application. 'f f f One form ofthe present inventionwas disclosed in my copending" application, LSerial No. 165,685 liled l, 1917, of which this application is in part a continua-- tion.

for the bearing segments-or shoesfand also,

d segments or shoes by a mobile thoroughly understood l Will now proceedl to describe'the same' in the following specification,'and will then pointr out the novel features thereof in appendedclaims.` The in-v vention isCapable" of receiving a variety of mechanical 'expressions several of ywhich are shown on the'accompanyingdrawings. but it is to be expressly understood that the drawings are for purposes of illustration only and' are not tobe construed as a definition ofthe limits ofthe invention, reference being had vto the appended claims for-that purpose. e l y Referringto the ldrawijngs Y' f l'igurei'lv is a sectional elevationshoWing" a" portion ,ofv a thrust bearing arranged and constructed in accordance-With my invention and constituting` one embodimei'lt thereof. v i f FigureQ is a partially sectional planview ofthe saine bearing, certain of the parts being removedand others broken laway to show the Construction in detail.

llO

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are views correspond ing to Figure 1, of other structures which also constitute embodiments of my invention.

`Figure 6 is aA circumferential section, developed into a single plane, of the Figure 5 construction.

Still another embodiment of my invention is shown in Figure 7, which is a sectional elevation corresponding in part to Figure 5.

Figure 8 is a partial elevation in section of a further embodiment o-f my invention.

In the form shown in Figures 1 and 2,--v 10 `designates a supporting bracket or fra-me on which a basek ring 11 is mounted. A, shaft A1-2 extends ythroughan opening 13 in the bracket and through the ybase ring and has suitably affixed to it vat its upper end a thrust block 14. A thrust collar 15 is secured to the thrust block in any suitable way and cooperates with a series of bearing shoes or segments 1.6.

The'base ring 11 has an annular passage 17' which communicates by zuixilaryv passages 18 with each of a plurality of fluid chambers 19, These fluid ,chambers are formed in the construction illustrated by providing a series of circumferentially spaced recesses 2O in the base ring and securing a yielding or elastic fluid-containing support V21 in each recess. The elastic containers may be of any suitable construction and are shown in the form of bellows, preferably made of sheet metal. They are `filled with a suitable fluid, preferably a substantially non-compressible liquid such as oil, glycerine, grease, water, ete., which also fills the annular passage 1,7. Each of t-he shoes 1G is seated on one of the elastic flnidcon taining supports 21 and ts loosely between an inner flange 22 of the base ring and lugs or projections 23 which are located at the out-'er corners of' the shoes, the arrangement of part-s being such that the proper relation is maintained between the shoeswithoult interfering with a limited individual and independent movement of each shoe.

A tube or sleeve 24, of slightly larger internal diameter than the shaft 12, is secured to the base and forms, in conjunction with the housing 25, an annular oil well 26 in whichv the bearing members are contained, the oil level being sufiicientlyhigh to iur merse the bearing surfaces. The inner and outer chambers into which the oil well is divided by the bearing members are conis such that after the elastic fluid-containing supports21 are pressed Vinto the recesses 2() l thecomplete structure. may be inverted and the liquid which is to fill the spaces introduced through the opening 28. YWhen said spaces, including the flexible Aor yielding supports 21, ythe annular passage 17 and the short auxiliary passages 18, are all filled, the plug 29 is introduced so that the liquid is confined, and t-he base ring may then be mounted in place. hen the shoes are mounted on .the elastic supports 21 they are 'free to tilt both circumferentially-so as to establish "a lubricating film at the bearing surfaces-and also radiallyw-so as to equitably distribute the pressure over the entire area of each of the shoes-#even if the collar 15 with which the shoes cooperate is crowned or distorted from any. cause. Furthermore, t-he thrust pressure will be equitably distributed among the several shoes because of the transmission of Huid pressure from one of the elastic supports to another through the interconnecting annular passage 17.

It is evident that the mobile fluid container may be formed in various ways, and Figure 8 shows anotherembodiment of my invention in which the base ring 30 is provided with a continuous annular channel. that is covered by an annular flexible cap or cover plate 31; thus forming an annular fluid chamber 32 into which some suitable fluid may be introduced under the necessary pressure through the pipe 33. An auxiliary chamber 36, which is provided with a spring-pressed plunger 37, may be supplied to automatically maintain the required pressure in the fluid chamber 32; and this pressure may be varied as desired by means of the screw 38, thepressure existing in said chamber being indicated by the gage 35.

The flexible cover plate 31 forms a support on which the bearing members or shoes 39 are tiltably mounted. The elastic yielding of the flexible cover 31 transmits the bearing pressure to the fluid within the chamber 32; and the latter acts, as before, to ,establish and maintain an equitable distribution of the load or end pressure on the several shoes. f

Figure 4 shows another construction in which fluid is maintained under pressure in a series of chambers 40, each one of which is formedby a flexible concave-convex disc 41 that is bolted tightly or otherwise suitably secured to the base ring and serves to support one of the bearing shoes 42. The separate chambers 4() are interconnected. as in Figure 1, by the annular passage 1T and the auxiliary passages 18. Y The plan view o f this construction is not shown but is similar in general to that shown in Figure 2.

Referring now to Figures 5 and 6, the base 43--which corresponds to the base 30 of Figure --is'ohere #shown/as provided with an annular channel 44 that is filled With. a .noncompressible liquid, such as oil orwpreferably a.- heavy '-grease, indicated at 45..4 l An elastic `or flexiblegdiaphragm 46 is securedgtopthe ,base by Ybolts 47 or other suitable means` and closes the'channel. lnstead of' independent shoes a flexible bear. ing. yring 48 is mounted on. and may be secured to, the diaphragm. The surface of the member 148 is sub-divided by radial grooves549 and fthe thrust pressure is equitably distributed over the several bearing segments .by the transverse and longitudinal flexibility .ofy .thel bearing ring and themobility/.otite -fluid support. i

A further embodiment of my invention is y shown in Figure 7 ,in `which bearing shoes 50 are tiltably mountedon pistonsor plungers 51 Which have spherically curved `tops and fit yinto guide vcylinders 52. These guide cylinders have ,the form. ofsuitable discs or lids. which. are. pressed or lotherwise .suitablysecured, andsealechinto or yonto the mouthl of fluidcontaining 'cups v.53. "A dia-V phragm 54 of leather or other. suitable semielastic material isstretched acrossthe opening of each cup, belovvthe piston orplungerI therefor, and, serves to .effectively seal the chamber `against any escape of fluid. Thecupsware preferably filled with: glycerine orsome viscous liquid anddn korder. to secure the equitable distributionof pres- Sureon .the severalV shoes of ther bearing the several cups or cells 5.3are interconnected by pipesy 55 v Which` may bei branded or welded intotheir Walls. ,V y. f f y ,A modification of the'Figure l construction is shown inFigure8 in which each; shoe 57 correspondingtdshoe'16, is mounted on a flexible, ,bellows shaped container 58 andhas apassage 5,9xvhich1issubstantially normal to .its bearing `surface and terminates ata high pressure point therein. The. passagev has va .spring-pressed` check valve 60'in itand obviouslv opens'ivhen lthe,

pressure.` in the .chamberl allsbelow the pressurein `the oillilm atythe bearing sur'- face Where thepassage 59 terminates..l

An adjustable safety valve 6 2 ,may ibe connected tov the annulary interconiiectingV passage 17 to relieve excess the chambers 61..., 3 a,

The shoes,l are lannularlyarranged as lin the Figure li construction,v l,and ,the operapressure Within tion ofthe bearing ,is,thesamevexc'ept for,

the factr that thel Figure 8 l arrangement providesA forthe automatic.y replenishing of.v the oil inthe oil chambersy beneath the'shoes. y y

Structures of preferred torni induconstruction have been illustrated l and described for the purposey off` showing .Ways in which thisl invention inay.be.`,used,,but the inventive thought.I upon vvhich,.thisy application based broader,.than theseillus-` trative embodiments thereof, and l therefore intend no limitations other than those imposed by the appended claims. o

llhat l claim is: l `l. A thrust bearing comprising relativel rotatable bearing members including a plurality .of annularly-'arranged bearing segments` and fluid means on which said seg-y ments yare mounted to tilt with respect thereto.k v i 2. A` thrust bearing comprising relatively rotatable bearing members including a plurality of' bearing segments and a plurality of interconnected fluid-containing chambers on which said mounted.

v3. A thrust-bearing comprising relatively rotatable kbearing members including a plurality of annularly-arranged bearing segments and .fluid means on which said segments are mounted to move relatively in all directions. y

els-Athrust bearing comprising relatively segments are vindividually 8o rotatabler bearing members including` a pluioo ports for the several shoes and means for 105.v

interconnecting the fluid containing ,supports. n i

.7. A thrust bearing comprising a plurality K of circumferen-tially spaced bearing members, a base ring havingavseries of re- 1.10 cesses therein correspondingin number andy location to the bearing members, and a flexible fluid container sealed into each recess and `interposed .between the corresponding bearing Vmember and the base ring.

8. A thrustbearing comprising a plurality n of circumferentially spaced bearingl members, a base ring having series of recesses therein corresponding in number and ylocation to the bearing members, a .flexible fluid container sealedinto each recess and interposed between the ycorresponding bearing member .and the base ring, and any annular channel forming a fluid connection between the individual containers.v n,

9. A thrust bearing comprising a thrustv supportingA ring, a plurality of flexible fluid containers secured to the ringr and vextending axiallytherefrom, means for interconnecting the fluid` containers, and a plurality otl ity of bearing segments, means lor supporting said segmentswhereby they may have relative movement in all directions, and fluid means for equitably distributing the pressure on said segments.

l2. AL bearing comprising'relatively movable bearing' members including a plurality of bearing segments, supporting means for said segments whereby they may tilt radially of the bearing, and iluid means for equitably distributing the pressure on said segments.

13. A bearing comprising relatively movable bearing members including a plurality of indellendently movable bearing segments,

' individual supports Jfor said segments, and

lluid means 'for equitably distributing the pressure on said segments.

le. i bearing comprisingA relatively movable bearing members including aplurality of independently movable bearing segments, individual supports on which said segments are tiltablgt`v mounted, and fluid means for equitably distributing the pressure on said segments.

l5. A bearing comprising relatively movable bearing members including a'plurality of annularly-arranged bearing segments; a fluid-containing member, and means for mounting said segments to tilt withI respect to said member, the [luid in said member operatingto `equitably distribute the pressure on saidv segments.

16. A. bearing comprising relatively movable bearing members including a plurality of bearing segments, and a plurality oi fluidcontaining chambers tor individually supporting said segments.

17. A bearing comprising relatively movable bearing members including a plurality of bearing segments, and a plurality of interconnected ,vieldable {luid-containing supports for said segments.

1S. A bearing comprising relatively movable bearing members including a plurality oli' bearing segments, and a plurality of Huidcontaining chambers on which said segments are flexibly mounted.

19. A bearing comprising relatively movable bearing members including Ia plurality ,ol bearing segments, and a plurality of ininsges ter-connected {luid-Containing chambers on which said" segments arjetilt'abl mounted@ 2o. .a bearing comprising re atvely niovablebe'aring members including a" plurality ot bearing segments', and a" plurality olf leiible Walls providing? fluid'-eontainingZ Vchambers by which* said segmentsv are flexibly mounted.

2i.v A bearing eemprlsingj relatiyely movable bearingl members including a plurality of bearing seg-niente, and a plurality of bellows-lille Walls by which said".segmentsA are flexibly mounted. 'l

22. A bearing'comprising yrelatively movable lbearing including a plurality ot bearing segmentsQ--a' plurality of fleXible walls by Which said'Y segmentfsa're tliltably mounted', said Walls providing lluidcontlainl ing chambers, and means-v for inter-'connecting sai'd chambers. 1

23. il bearing compl'slng relatively movable b'earing members including a plurality of bearing segments, fluid Ineens for' Supporting said segments', and means to' aulomafically maintain trepa-suf@ ragnatelasupportingmeans'.

Q-l. A bearing cmpr'i'sin'g: relatively movable bearing members including al plurality ot bearing segments, ililidA means" fory supporting said' segments, `and means v'llereby the normal operation off the bearing-mainftains a predetermined pressure said' fluid' s'upportingmeans. y

25. A. bearing comprising relatively mov` able bearing members including apluflity oit bearing segments, iluidg meadt" porting said segments, and a valv' passage for admitting oil tor said fluid-supporting means if the pressure therein drops below a pre-determined amount.

26. bearing col nprisingl relatively able bea-nag members 'including' aplaaliey of bearing segments, a plurality of fluidcontaining Jfor supporting's'id segments, land' automatic, means for admitting oil to said chambers ifrtlie pressure1A vtherein drops below a pre-determined amount.

27. A bearing comprising 1""e`lati'vely4 mbvable bearing membrsf including' apliirality of bearing' segments, and a plurality ofllexible Walls by Which said segments are individually mounted. y l

28. A bearing comprising relatively movable bearing members including a plural-ity of bearing segments, a plurality of'lexible' Walls providing chambers onvsihich'said segments are individually mounted, means inter-connecting sfa'id chambers; and' means in said chambers for equitably' distributing the pressure on` said segments.

29. A bearing compris/ing relatively'm'ov'- able bearing members" including. aV of bearing segments, a plurality of flu containingchambe'rslon tvhicli said segments' aire individually mounted to1 tiltvvith respect phenny thereto, and means inter-connecting said chambers.

30. A, bearing comprising relatively 'movable bearing members inoludnga plurality of annularlyvarranged bearing segments', and {luid-containing supporting means on Which Said segments are mounted.

3l. A bearing comprising relatively movable bearing members including a plurality of bearing segments mounted on a plurality of interconnected fluid-containing chambers.

independently able bearing members including a plurality of bearing segments, a plurality of flexible l5 'Walls providing fluid-containing chambers on which said segments are mounted, and means interconnecting said chambers.

. In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of January, 1919.

ALBERT KINGSBURY. 

